Abstract
We retrospectively evaluated the long-term effects of selective nerve root block in patients with lumbosacral monoradiculopathy associated with failed back surgery syndrome, lumbar disc herniation and lumbar spinal stenosis. We analyzed 72 patients including 27 patients with failed back surgery syndrome, 23 patients with lumbar disc herniation and 22 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Patients received selective nerve root block under fluoroscopy. Numerical Rating Scale (NRS: 0-10) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) consumption were analyzed to evaluate of pain relief. In all groups, NRS and NSAIDs consumption decreased significantly 1 and 3 months after nerve root block compared to the baseline. In the lumbar disc herniation group, NRS and NSAIDs consumption were the lowest among the three groups at 1 and 3 months. There were no significant differences in NRS and NSAIDs consumption between failed back surgery syndrome and lumbar spinal stenosis. These findings show that selective nerve root block for lumbar disc herniation induces superior a long-term pain relief for lumbosacral radiculopathy compared with those for failed back surgery syndrome and lumbar spinal stenosis. The pain relief for Failed back surgery syndrome was similar to that for lumbar spinal stenosis 3 months post treatment.
